


Secrets and Confessions

by LialaneGraest



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Angst, Emotionally Repressed, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-17
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-21 08:56:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/595862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LialaneGraest/pseuds/LialaneGraest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unfortunate event causes Stein and Spirit to rely on each other for moral support in the middle of a trying time. Could the event allow Stein to finally understand the feelings that he has been repressing for so long?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Departure

Her lips were sewn shut, the better to muffle the sobs that were coursing through her body so they didn't disturb the neighbors. She was blindfolded only because he couldn't be bothered to stitch the eyes closed- the fact that one was already missing held no interest for the man that was currently dragging a sharp-bladed scalpel across her stomach, moving higher and higher with each pass.

Sobbing eventually turned to screams as the blade sliced against her sensitive breasts and the man couldn't help but giggle, biting down hard on his lip to silence them. He couldn't have the neighbors coming to investigate, not yet. With a sudden flash of clarity the man slid the scalpel into the woman's throat almost gently, making a single delicate incision before removing it. Laughter mingled with the blood that poured from the woman's throat as he stroked the side of her face lightly.

A second later a rasp of air erupted from the woman's throat, a step removed from being a scream, as he slid the scalpel over the stitches holding the woman's mouth closed. Blood poured down her throat and he laughed, using already blood soaked fingers to remove the thread from the ruins of her lips. Almost tenderly he pressed his own lips against hers, savoring the taste of the blood that was running freely down them.

A ragged whimper came from the woman's throat and he pulled away, looking at the original incision with a critical eye, realizing that he hadn't completely severed the vocal cords as he had originally thought that he had. With a shrug he repositioned the blade, the woman thrashing in fear beneath him, and continued the incision.

She jerked suddenly, thrusting her head forward and against the blade, and the man cursed as he felt the scalpel slip and bury itself in her throat; a gurgling sound coming from the woman as blood rushed down her windpipe and into her lungs. Anger rushed over the man and he ripped the blade free violently.

"I wasn't going to kill you, you dumb bitch. I was going to remake you. You were going to be beautiful when I was done with you. You were going to look like _her._ " The man stood as the woman below him gasped desperately for breath. "I wonder if that will make a difference if they ever catch me."

Full throated laughter burst from him and he bent double from the force of it. "If? When. Shinigami-sama will find me. He'll make me answer. I wonder if I can see what is under his mask and cloak before he destroys me."

A maniacal look swept over the man's features as he left the still living woman bleeding on the floor, her black hair soaking up her own blood as she mewled pitifully. Her mewling gasps made a splendid accompaniment to the man's insane laughter.

* * *

"It has to be Hakase Stein."

Spirit just shook his head. "It's not Stein."

"And what makes you so certain, Death Scythe?" The red head looked up at the Internal Affairs agent they had sent to replace Joe Buttataki after the other man's unfortunate death.

"Stein wouldn't be so careless, plus he's been under house arrest."

"And the coincidence that each of these women share a marked resemblance with his missing partner, Marie Mjolnir? Or that each has been attacked, and killed, with a sharp tipped weapon, most likely a scalpel?" The man asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Don't make an accusation that you can't back up." Spirit said as he stood and walked away from the corpse.

"What about the stitching in her lips? It matches what Hakase Stein does!" The man was against the wall a second later, a blade at his throat, Spirit's blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"Do _not_ make accusations that you can't back up. What part of that do you not understand?" The death scythe hissed.

The Internal Affairs agent swallowed hard. "I understand. We'll find out who is actually doing this."

"Yes, yes we will." Spirit promised, releasing the unfortunate meister.

Rubbing his throat the man muttered too low for Spirit to hear, _"Crazy fucking man."_

* * *

Vigorous knocking echoed through the lab and Stein pulled himself away from the computer screen, just realizing that the computer wasn't even on. _"I could have sworn I was reading something… something important…"_ he thought as he walked to the door.

He opened it to find Spirit standing outside it. "Stein, mind if I come in."

The scientist just shrugged and stepped to the side. "Not much I could do to tell you no, Senpai. Though why are you the one checking up on me, and not one of the Internal Affairs agents?"

"Because I have questions I don't want Internal Affairs knowing of or asking." The death scythe walked over to the couch and sat down, his elbows on his knees.

"Want tea?" Stein asked more out of polite courtesy than a real desire to make tea, knowing full well that Spirit would refuse.

"You know I don't drink anything you make." Stein just smirked and sat down across from the man. "Where's your lab coat, Stein?"

"In the lab." Stein said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Spirit stood. "Show me."

Stein blinked but stood to his feet, leading the way through the darkened hallways and into the lab. With a sweeping motion he indicated the lab coat in question. It was draped over the back of the man's green and white patch-worked chair, and Spirit gave a sigh of relief as he saw it. "You have any others?"

Stein looked at him but shrugged, walking over to a cabinet that sat in the corner of the lab and opened it up. Inside hung two more lab coats, each identically stitched to the one that hung on the back of the chair.

"I haven't touched those since Marie hung them up." Stein said as Spirit stepped over to look at them. The one on the right had old bloodstains on it, but nothing that was new enough to bother Spirit. Something else caught Spirit's eye though, a bulge in one of the lab coat pockets. Glancing over at Stein the death scythe slipped his hand into it and pulled out a small black box, just slightly larger than a pack of playing cards but not as thick.

He turned and showed it to Stein. "What is this?"

The scientist took the box from him and gingerly opened it, only to have the box fall from nerveless fingers. Falling from the box was Marie's eye patch and a note on a bright orange sticky note.

_How long did it take you to find this? I'm betting that you weren't the one to find it, Franken. Please, don't look for me. Don't give up your life for mine. If it's been more than a week since you last heard or saw me, it's a moot point anyway. Stay safe, Franken. Fight the madness. I'm sorry I can't be with you. I… I love you. I can hear them in the hall outside now. You're gone speaking with Shinigami-sama… I pray that they're gone before you get back. They're after you, not me. Please, stay safe._

Green eyes met blue and Stein brushed past Spirit, grabbing the lab coat that had concealed the box for so long. For too long, according to the note and moved to the other, transferring items from one to the other.

"Stein, you can't leave."

"I'll be damned if someone took Marie and I don't go after her." Stein's voice was empty, as if the man were trying desperately to keep something under wraps. As he walked past Spirit, the death scythe's arm snuck out, and he grabbed Stein's, flipping the man to face him. "You're not going to stop me, Spirit."

"Hit me." Stein stared impassively at the shorter man. "Stein, hit me. Knock me out with your wavelength."

"Spirit, what does it matter that I knock you out before I leave? You could just say I did." Stein turned the screw in his head with his free hand.

"Who said you were leaving me here?" Spirit took a step towards the meister. "I know you're a damn good fighter without a weapon, but you're better with one."

"And you trust me enough for that. To let me incapacitate you. To let me leave with you unconscious." Stein just smirked.

Spirit was silent for a moment. "All the times you had me on that table, you could have killed me. I refuse to believe that you were sane for all of them, either. I have the scars still to show. As twisted as it is, Stein, I trust you with my life."

Stein's hand rested lightly on Spirit's chest as he pushed the death scythe to the wall. The scientist leaned against the death scythe, and his mouth was right beside Spirit's ear as he whispered, _"Then you're a fool, Senpai. Even Marie knew better than to trust me implicitly."_

"Give me a reason not to." Spirit said.

Stein's wavelength tore through him then, the death scythe's head almost slamming into the wall. It would have, had Stein's hand not been there to cushion the blow, the scientist's body flush with Spirit's to prevent the man from falling to the ground. Spirit's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body seized with the force of the wavelength being forced through him, but it was over quickly enough. Stein lowered Spirit to the floor with a smirk, retrieving a towel to wipe away the blood that had come with the injury.

Pulling Spirit piggy back on his back Stein stood and walked, unimpeded, out of the lab and into the night.


	2. The Motel Room

His head was pounding and it felt like every muscle in his body was aching. The death scythe moaned as he opened his eyes slowly, feeling the distinct presence of another individual in the bed he was laying in. Bleary eyes opened and focused first on the nightstand, then on a bottle of water and two pills that were labeled, "For the pain." Memories of the previous night flooded back and Spirit pushed himself into a sitting position, his head reeling as he did so. He popped the pills in his mouth before taking a swig of water, and then looked over at his bed partner.

" _I'd forgotten just how badly Stein's Soul Menace hurts."_ Spirit thought wearily.

Franken Stein lay on his right side, facing away from Spirit, on a small section of the bed, his shoulder moving up and down in a gentle motion. Spirit glanced around the small room, realizing that it was a motel room of some sort. The two men were sharing a single bed, a full sized one at most. Stein was as far from Spirit as he could be which still left just a small gap between them.

Spirit started to reach out and wake the other man, and then hesitated. He knew his own limits with pain medicine, and he had no idea how long Stein had walked before getting them to wherever here was. Spirit gingerly lowered himself back into the bed, careful not to disturb or wake Stein. It wouldn't be the first time that he had had to sleep with the meister on a mission- they had done it plenty when they were first partnered. A single bed was cheaper than two.

* * *

Sometime during the night Spirit had rolled onto his right side as well. The two men were now sharing the same half of the bed, Spirit's arm draped carelessly over Stein's side. Stein woke first and froze; the unfamiliar weight on his side was definitely not Marie's. It took only a split second for the wavelength that was behind him to be identified as Spirit's and Stein relaxed.

Spirit murmured something into Stein's back and the scientist felt the other man scootch closer, the death scythe's arm tightening around his waist and pulling Stein back against his chest. Stein felt himself tense again as Spirit's hand began to drift. With a swift motion Stein slipped from the bed and Spirit toppled forward and into the space that Stein had just been occupying. The death scythe then slid off the bed and landed in a heap at Stein's feet. Stein just smirked down at him before offering his hand. Spirit glared at it as if might be a snake, ready to bite him if he took ahold of it. Stein just shrugged, and walked off to the bathroom.

Spirit heard the water running in the shower a moment later and cursed mentally. _"Damnit, Stein. You could have at least let me take a leak before you decided to get in the shower."_ And he desperately needed to take a leak, the tenting in his pants making him wonder just what the hell he had been dreaming of before he had been awoken.

* * *

Stein stood underneath the scalding hot spray, stifling a yawn, his cigarette smoking gently between his teeth as he kept it out of the spray. A glance at the clock on the bedside when he had left Spirit had affirmed that he hadn't gotten enough sleep after walking as far as he had, with Spirit on his back to boot. Shaking his head Stein dumped some of the cheap motel shampoo into his hand and massaged it through his hair.

He froze when he heard the bathroom door open. "Senpai?"

"I'm not looking. You could have let me take a leak before you got in the shower. It feels like days since-" Spirit gave a loud sigh at that point, "I have."

"Perhaps if you didn't consume so much alcohol you wouldn't have to go so urgently in the mornings." Stein said, returning to his shower as he heard the water turn on in the sink.

"I haven't had a drink in a while, Shinigami-sama's orders." Spirit said smugly, intentionally drying his hands on the towel that Stein had laid out to dry himself off with.

"Miracles will never cease." Spirit's chuckle ended prematurely as Stein stepped out of the shower, taking the towel from Spirit's limp hands. "Thanks, Senpai." Stein then padded out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, but not before giving Spirit a lopsided smirk.

A trembling hand ran through Spirit's hair. _"What the fuck?"_ He turned the water all the way to cold before stepping into the shower, realizing once he pulled the curtain back that he could still smell the smoke from Stein's cigarette. The same cigarette that was still lit, sitting on the soap holder, a washrag folded to protect it from the water.

"Oh, what the hell," Spirit said and shrugged, grabbing the cigarette and taking a deep drag, desperate to calm nerves that he hadn't even realized were on edge. Spirit lowered his head, letting the freezing cold water run over his neck and down his chest, a stream of smoke escaping his lips as he contemplated the problem he was now facing.

The tenting his pants had hidden hadn't gone away, and seeing Stein step out of the shower had only made it worse. Spirit shook his head again. _"What the hell, Spirit?"_ He asked himself, shivering beneath the spray.

* * *

Stein was dressed when Spirit came out of the shower, still shivering from how cold the water had been. Stein raised an eyebrow at the shivering weapon. "I'm fairly certain there was hot water when I got out, Senpai."

"I felt like a cold shower." Spirit just shrugged, buttoning up his shirt.

Stein didn't say anything, just tossed something at the death scythe. Spirit caught it and looked at it; inside the case that Stein had tossed him were various toiletries. "I figured you would want to shave. And let's face it; deodorant is a must for both of us." Spirit just nodded, taking the bag and heading back into the bathroom. He found the toothpaste and brushed his teeth before shaving.

Stein leaned against the doorframe as Spirit did. "I think I know where she was taken, Senpai."

Spirit spat out the toothpaste and looked through the door at the meister. "Then why are we waiting around?"

"Because I was observing you to make sure there were no lingering aftereffects from the _Soul Menace_ I had to use to knock you out, Senpai. Going into a potential for battle with a weapon that was in a weakened state wasn't something that I was looking forward to. It could cost us all our lives." Stein said simply, lighting a new cigarette before he took a deep drag of it.

He then pushed himself away from the wall, exhaling smoke. "Let's go." Spirit just stared at him. "We'll grab food on the way, Senpai. We need to hurry. It's been 10 days since Marie disappeared."

_Ten days._

The words sent shivers down both men's spines. The note had said she had one week. Both men left the motel room, Stein leading with Spirit following along behind.


	3. Moments Lost

She had lived longer than she thought that she would. It really wasn't much of a comfort though. Every second was agony for the blonde haired death scythe, and she found herself wishing that they would finally kill her, just to put her out of her misery.

But for some reason they were keeping her alive.

The tubes that connected her to the machine made sure of it, pumping nutrition straight into her bloodstream so that even though she felt like she was starving, she was getting what she needed. Twice a day they came in and forced her to drink some foul smelling liquid that made the woman want to vomit and caused her to dry heave for nearly an hour.

At least, she assumed it was an hour. It's not like the cell they had her in had a clock or anything. One thing she was sure of though was that Stein would give a lot to get his hands on whatever it was that they were forcing down her throat.

' _Maybe he can take it from my stomach after I'm dead.'_ Marie thought, hanging her head.

It was what was keeping her from transforming, either fully or partially, she was certain of it. That and the constant pain. She was suspended by her wrists from a position about seven feet up, dangling. She couldn't feel her hands anymore, the only sensation that she had was the occasional twinge of pain when the metal rubbed against the open wound, so she was careful not to move too much.

Not moving wasn't an option very often though. Women would come through the door at all hours, each with a singular purpose in mind. The first few had tried to be polite. She noted that they all looked distressingly similar to her in build and height. They had asked her simple questions, offered to let her down if she answered.

Marie hadn't been fooled. Joe may have left her, but he did teach her one thing- how to know when someone was lying to her. A captor would never offer anything that was worth answering their questions, not even your life. Shibusen alumni led dangerous lives, and they all knew the risks. Normally one could expect rescue, but Marie had specifically refused that.

The visits became violent quickly. Shouted questions demanding answers as the death scythe screamed when whatever weapon they happened to have slammed into her, leaving her battered, bruised and bloody. Her leg was obviously broken. When that injury had happened she gave up hope.

Even if Stein came after her, which she had warned him not to ( _'If he even found the note…'_ she thought morosely), she wouldn't be able to walk to get out with them, and she had seen the number of people that came through the door into her cell.

There were too many for even Stein to fight through.

The door cracked open and Marie didn't even bother to look up, feigning sleep. It wasn't hard, the pain in her arms was now a numbness and she was becoming inured to the pain from her other injuries. Exhaustion covered her like a cloak.

Something grabbed her broken leg roughly and she screamed, her head jerking back as whoever it was this time dug their fingers into the open wound. Marie could feel the bone itself moving as the person wriggled their fingers deeper and deeper into the gaping hole. Tears streamed down her right cheek as she heard a crunch, the bone obviously breaking even more, and her head slammed into the wall she was anchored to as another scream erupted from her. The torture to her leg suddenly stopped and Marie trembled, panting, in the chains before opening her eyes slowly, hoping that the empty orb of her left eye socket would at least rattle whoever was standing in front of her.

Her gold eye took a second to focus on the man standing in front of her, a sadistic grin painted across features so familiar yet at the same time wrong, and when it did, her eye opened wide, a gasp tearing from her throat.

"So, it's an effective disguise," the man sneered out, digging his fingers back into Marie's wound. She threw her head back and screamed again, agony running from her toes to her chest. He waited until she had collapsed against the wall again sobbing before he continued. "Now then, you're going to answer some questions for me unless you want to permanently lose that leg."

"Fuck you." Marie said, spitting down at him before he resumed grinding her leg underneath his hand. Blood ran down her leg as she screamed; his laughter mixed with her screams in a horrendous cacophony of sound.

"My first question is this: As Franken Stein's partner, you know his personality. Would he be enjoying this?" The man's face was twisted into a mockery of a grin, a sadistic look plastered into his wild eyes.

Marie stubbornly remained quiet until she felt the man's fingers dig into the wound again and twist, a scream ripping from her throat.

"Come now, you know the answer, just tell me." The not-Stein's voice was calm even with the sadistic grin contorting his features. "I hope he would, because believe me, I do."

Tears fell down Marie's face, her leg a mass of agony. With her eyes closed again she shook her head. In a voice thick with pain and desperation she said, "Just kill me. I won't be used against Shibusen."

Maniacal laughter rang through the room and something sharp stabbed into Marie's stomach. The woman's eyes flew open and she focused on the blood flowing down her abdomen, the man's leering face, and the scalpel that was buried to the hilt in her stomach. She wasn't even aware she was screaming as he twisted it.

"Have it your way."

* * *

"What makes you think that she'll be there, Stein?" Spirit asked as they loaded into the car that Spirit had paid for out of his own pocket.

"A hunch, Senpai. Something I had thought was a hallucination brought on by the Madness." Stein leaned his head back against the headrest of the passenger seat.

Spirit put the car in drive and they pulled out onto the mostly deserted road. They drove in silence for a while before Stein finally spoke, breaking the silence.

" _What if she's already dead?"_ The scientist's voice was broken and heavy with emotion. Spirit did him the courtesy of not looking over at him, though his hand reached out without his conscious thought to gently squeeze Stein's knee.

"Marie's a fighter. She won't give them what they want and they won't kill a death scythe that easy." His hand slipped back to the steering wheel and Stein sighed.

"I hope that you're right, Senpai. I don't want to think that I could have saved her, if only I had bothered doing as she asked and checked my lab coats when she hung them." Stein stared out the window, Spirit keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Why did she ask you to do that?"

Stein's voice was slightly closer and Spirit turned his head to look at the man briefly. Stein's head was resting against the headrest and he was facing front now, his eyes closed and his glasses in his hands. "She asked because if I left anything in them she would take it out when she washed them and put it back in when they were cleaned. I was supposed to make sure that everything was where it belonged, in case we were to go on a mission; that way there was no chance of a mix up. I cut my hand once when I didn't realize that she had flipped my scalpel to the opposite pocket."

"Why didn't you check?" Spirit asked, turning on the turn signal to change lanes, accelerating.

"Because she knew me well enough that I hadn't had to fix the positioning of anything in a long time." Stein's voice was dry and emotionless. "I should have checked."

Spirit's hand rested briefly on Stein's leg. "She's fine, Stein. We'll go and get her, find out who took her and why, and it will be fine."

"I hope that you're right, Senpai." Spirit removed his hand as Stein turned his head back to look out the window. "I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't."

"Dissect the people responsible." Spirit said, trying to lighten the mood.

Stein's voice chilled Spirit's blood. "I would enjoy that, and I would make sure you could eat their souls. They would be totally destroyed." Spirit just swallowed and Stein chuckled mirthlessly.

* * *

The car pulled up in front of the old building that Stein had directed them to just after sundown. The two men slipped out of the car and Spirit left it unlocked, in case they had to flee quickly. He pocketed the keys and in a thought was in his weapon form, Stein balancing him easily.

" _How many do you sense, Stein?"_ Spirit's voice floated up.

"Not more than we can handle." To Stein's eyes there were a myriad number of floating souls in the building, but he couldn't find the one that mattered the most to him. Marie's. A silent step sent the scientist and the weapon sprinting towards the door just as someone came to the side; they were almost caught.

Stein was beside the man in a second, his wavelength slamming into the man and knocking him to the ground. Another hit was all it took to destroy the man, and a mottled red soul floated up. A second later that was gone as well, absorbed by Spirit.

"You'll eat well today, Senpai." Stein said, slipping into the building.

" _Let's hope they don't ruin my girlish figure,"_ the death scythe joked, trying to lighten the mood. Stein just smirked, and Spirit shuddered at the look in the other man's eyes.

* * *

They killed four more guards before they encountered the first woman. She was dressed in the same clothing that Marie was known for wearing; her blonde hair parted exactly the same, an eye patch covering her left eye. She gave them a smile as they approached, even though Stein was rushing at her with a scythe. One blow fell through her and the woman's soul was left in front of them, a mottled red prekishin egg.

" _What the hell is going on here?"_ Spirit asked.

"I don't know, but we have to find Marie, the real Marie, quickly." Stein said, heading in the direction the woman had been. They encountered six others on the way, each one just as quickly dispatched as the others.

" _You don't think they took her and were planning on replacing her and infiltrating Shibusen?"_ Spirit's voice echoed up.

"That much seems obvious, Spirit. She said they were after me though, in the note. I wonder if that-" A high pitched laugh interrupted Stein as he came around the corner.

He was face to face with a version of himself. The person in front of him was shorter and lacked the screw through his head, though there were a fresh row of stitches across his face. As Stein brought Spirit into a ready position the man slipped the bloody lab coat he was wearing off and laughed again, holding up a scalpel covered in bright red blood.

" _Stein, that's fresh!"_

"Senpai, I can see that!" Stein darted forward and slashed downward as the man casually stepped back, avoiding the sudden attack.

"You came when she warned you not to! Well it's too late! She's dead!" The man's voice was high pitched and singsongy, interlaced with hysterical giggles.

Spirit felt Stein freeze, and the man took advantage of the hesitation to dart forward, drawing a deep gash along Stein's right forearm. The pain seemed to bring the scientist back to himself. He lunged at the man, bringing Spirit down hard.

He caught the man's arm and severed it. The imitation stood looking at it for a minute before laughing and falling to the ground. "It's too late, it's too late!"

Stein dropped Spirit, striding to the man and grabbing him by the front of his stitched shirt. He forced the imitation to look at him. "Where. Is. She."

The imitation just looked over his shoulder towards the only room in that hallway. Stein's fist came back and he slammed it into the man's face. He repeated the process and Spirit had to grab his arm to stop him from beating the man into a bloody pulp. Stein turned to Spirit and the death scythe could see the agony etched into the man's face.

Dragging Stein to his feet, the two moved to the room, and pushed the door open. Stein already knew.

Marie hung from a set of shackles, her head tilted towards the ground. Her chest wasn't moving, and blood was sluggishly dripping from the gaping wound in her stomach and from the wound in her leg. Stein moved to her side, his hand shaking as he reached out. It took Spirit a second to realize what was going on as Stein sunk to his knees, his arms cradled to his chest.

Stein was holding Marie's soul.

The realization struck Spirit like a ton of bricks. They had been too late. Fifteen minutes, at the most, and they could have saved her. The time it had taken them to shower. If he had left Chupa Cabra's just a few minutes earlier.

If only.

Marie would be alive.

Tears filled the death scythe's eyes and it took him a minute to decipher the sound he was hearing. The sound was low and almost unheard, but it was obvious once he focused.

Stein was keening. There were no tears on his face, but his head was bowed and he kept her soul cradled against his chest as a low keening wail issued from him.

Spirit rested his hand on Stein's shoulder and joined the sound with his own, tears enough for the both of them falling to the blood soaked floor of the cell.


	4. Loss

Stein sat on his knees, her blood soaking into his lab coat and pants, her soul cradled against his chest. He could feel the calming influence of her wavelength even though she was dead.

Dead.

Marie was dead.

All because he hadn't done as she asked and checked the pockets of his lab coats. The same lab coat that he was wearing right now.

He suddenly couldn't bear to wear the item, but he couldn't bring himself to take it off because she had fixed it for him, when he had been too busy with an experiment. Even from where he was sitting he could see the stitching that didn't quite match. Her attempt to fix a hole in it. He forced himself to look away from the awkward stitching and up at her.

Her body still hung on the wall in front of him, the blood oozing from the ragged wound where someone had eviscerated her while she was still alive. Her limp form held his gaze and he was only distantly aware of the sound of sobbing coming from beside him, of the feel of a hand on his shoulder. He looked back down at the soul that he was cradling in his arms, and felt something shift inside him.

" _I am going to dissect them all."_

He felt the hand on his shoulder tighten as they both heard the door to the room move, the steel creaking on its hinges. Spirit stood, and Stein heard the distinct _snick_ of his blades coming out.

Even with a broken nose, a blackened eye, and missing an arm the imitation from before was on his feet, hysterical laughter pouring from his throat.

"I told you you were too late!"

Spirit was on his feet a second later, a scream tearing from his throat. Stein never moved, just stared at the soul in his arms. The gurgling sound of blood in a windpipe finally made him look over his shoulder.

Spirit stood with the man against the wall, a blade buried in his throat. The man was gurgling and Spirit was screaming, twisting the blade. It was obvious the death scythe was trying to inflict as much pain as he could on the man and Stein shook himself from his agony.

"Senpai!" Stein stood, keeping Marie's soul carefully cradled against his chest even as he darted over to Spirit, his free hand catching the death scythe's shoulder and pulling him back. Spirit's blade disappeared in a flash and he hit his knees.

" _We were too late."_

Stein sunk to his knees beside the man, staring at the almost decapitated imitation. A second later Spirit's face was pushed against Stein's chest; the man sobbing uncontrollably as Stein carefully slipped Marie's soul into a specially crafted pocket of his lab coat. Hesitant hands touched Spirit's back as Stein felt his own pain resurface. Taking a deep shuddering breath he let his head lean forward so that his cheek rested on the top of Spirit's head; the death scythe's hand curled into the scientist's lab coat, bunching it up between his fingers as he sobbed. Stein's own hands unknowingly balled the death scythe's suit jacket up, forming tight fists.

Stein didn't know how long they stayed like that before Spirit's tears finally ceased. The man suddenly realized where he was and jerked away from Stein. "I'm sorry, Stein."

"We have a job to do, Senpai." Stein said emotionlessly, and stood, extending a hand to the man. Spirit took it and with a glance over his shoulder at Marie's ruined body he followed Stein out of the room and into the complex. Spirit transformed without the need for Stein to ask. The scientist strode through the now empty complex; following the trail of souls that had gathered together in what he surmised was a meeting room.

" _Stein, we have to be careful. We have to get her soul to Shinigami-sama."_ Spirit's voice was broken as it came from the scythe blade.

"We will, Senpai. But first we will destroy this damn place." Stein hefted the scythe onto his shoulder as he came to the shut door.

His wavelength blew it open.

A dozen imitations clogged the room, each smiling at them as they entered. They came from all directions, the women transforming into fractured representations of Marie's weapon from. The males were obviously not very proficient with wielding them, and swung haphazardly at Stein.

Stein just waded into the middle of them, easily deflecting the blows. One witch hunter dispatched of the crowd closest to him, the rest of them suddenly not so eager to fight the scientist and backing away. Stein's laughter cut through the noise before a voice trumped his.

"She warned you, didn't she? She had time to do so. We made sure of that. What took you so long to find her? You were too late." A woman stepped from a hidden alcove, the imitations bowing and scraping as she walked towards the meister and weapon.

Her purple eyes contrasted sharply to her pure white hair and pale features. Thin lips stretched into a smirk as she stopped well out of range of the lethal scythe blade. "Well, what took you so long? Her last thoughts were of you, you know."

Stein screamed out wordlessly, charging the woman. A moment later and his body was covered in frost, his steps slowing so that he stopped, frozen, Spirit's blade inches from the woman's neck.

"Answer us or we'll shatter him. You'll lose your Senpai and that woman in the same day. What. Took. So. Long. We even left you an address." The woman's delicate features curled into a sneer. "Or perhaps you're just not as intelligent as we had thought."

Stein strained against the spell that had frozen his limbs, curses flying from his mouth. The woman just laughed, one fragile looking hand reaching out to tap Spirit's blade.

Spirit screamed, blood erupting from the weapon, and Stein could easily see the crack that ran up the weapon's blade. Her fingernail rested against the blade and she looked at Stein, her face emotionless. "Answer me, Franken Stein."

"You ask a madman to discern reality when you've taken the only tie he has to it," Stein sneered out. "What do you think took so long?"

She laughed coldly, Stein's muscles straining even as she tapped the blade again. Spirit convulsed, but the spell kept him frozen in his weapon form, blood pooling at their feet. She made one mistake though. She left her hand sitting on Spirit's blade.

" _I'm sorry, Senpai."_

Spirit understood. _"Just do it and hurry damn it!"_

Stein's wavelength surged through Spirit, causing the scythe to scream in agony. It channeled through Spirit and into the witch, knocking her away from the pair. The spell surrounding them shattered, Spirit flying from Stein's grasp and hitting the ground in a bloody heap. The weapon's eyes were closed, his breathing shallow.

The witch hadn't fared much better, part of the spell's power reverberating into her, her skin frozen and cracked from the force of the blow. Stein staggered to his feet as she did, and before she could regain her senses he slammed into her, forcing his wavelength over her. She screamed, arching against him even as he poured every bit of his energy into maintaining the wavelength that he was coursing through her body.

She hit the ground panting, tears flowing down her face. Stein stood over her, his scalpel already in hand. Twisting the screw in his head he looked down on her, his face an impassive mask even as his eyes rolled wildly around in his sockets.

He knelt over the disoriented witch, his lips stopping right beside her ear. _"I'm going to make you pay for everything that you did to Marie. For every cut, for every bruise. You'll live until I feel that you have repaid your debt. Then I may kill you. Though, I don't believe that you can ever pay what you owe for taking Marie away from this world."_

She opened her mouth to cast a spell and Stein's scalpel slid into her throat, cutting her vocal cords with a surgeon's precision. He could feel Marie's soul, so close to his own, tempering the bloodlust and pain he felt, blocking the worst of the madness.

The witch hissed at him and he just smiled, his scalpel descending on the woman's eye, and with a few quick cuts, removing it. Blood splattered and she thrashed below him even as he pinned her chest and roughly held her head in place, his scalpel repeating the process. He raised the sharp blade above him, bringing it down towards her when he felt something weakly catch his arm.

"Stein… bring her to justice. Let Shibusen deal with her…" Spirit was swaying, trying to stay on his feet, blood coming from a dozen cuts across his arms, seeping through his shirt. Stein hesitated before slipping the bloody scalpel into his pocket. He looked down at the blinded and silenced witch, and looked up again just in time to catch Spirit as he toppled head first to the ground, blood pooling around him.

* * *

Spirit opened his eyes to Shibusen's dispensary. His entire body hurt, and he realized that he was naked from the waist up, just the thin sheet and bandages covering his body. After the cold that he had experienced he felt like he was on fire, and his hands flew up without his consent, plucking at the bandages.

"Senpai, don't." Stein's voice came from beside him, the man's hand catching his own.

"I'm on fire. Stein, it's burning, I'm on fire." Spirit said in rush, managing to hook his finger underneath one of the bandages. Just the slight breeze he felt as he did sent a delicious chill through the man's body.

Stein's hand caught his other hand, holding them together as the scientist called for Nygus. Spirit began to struggle, his eyes opening wide.

"I'm burning!" The death scythe screamed suddenly, yanking his hands from Stein's and ripping one of the bandages off to reveal the stitched skin beneath. A second later a needle slid into the death scythe's neck and Spirit's eyes fluttered shut.

"He just went through a traumatic experience, Stein." Nygus said quietly as she rebandaged the area. "He'll be fine."

The scientist just nodded, concern in his eyes.

* * *

Spirit stood next to Stein a few days later as they were lowering the casket into the ground. The ceremony was simple and short, few having time to spend mourning with the events of the world. The kishin was still loose, and even the death of one of Shinigami-sama's death scythes had to be placed on hold for proper mourning.

Stein watched with no expression on his face as the mahogany coffin was lowered into the ground, dirt thrown on it. Spirit stood beside him until the last bit of dirt covered the grave, the other mourners gone.

"We tried, Stein."

The scientist didn't answer; he just stood staring at the grave. Spirit turned to leave and was shocked when Stein's hand snaked out to grab his wrist.

"She deserves a wake." Stein's voice was low, and it allowed for no complaint or discussion. Spirit just shrugged.

"Alright, Stein. Let me go get something, then we'll give her the wake she deserves." Spirit said. Stein's hand released the death scythe's wrist and Spirit walked away from the grave, leaving Stein alone.

The scientist waited until he was certain that Spirit was gone before pulling a small item from his pocket and walking to the grave. He was careful to not disturb the soil more than was necessary, removing a small bit from near the headstone that proclaimed who she was. He slipped the item into the depression and covered it back up before standing.

He walked off then, leaving behind the grave and the small item behind. He caught up to Spirit a little while later, the death scythe returning.

"Stein?" Spirit asked.

The scientist stopped. "Yes, Senpai?"

"I thought you were staying at the grave?"

"Marie isn't there." Stein stated simply. "Now then, she needs a wake."

Spirit perked up a bit. "Yeah, I've made a few calls already. They'll meet us there." Stein nodded, letting the death scythe lead him. Neither man noticed that they were walking a bit closer than was necessary or that, on occasion, their hands would touch briefly on the backswings.


	5. In a Stupor

"To Marie!" A chorus of voices echoed the sentiment and cups were thrown back. Alcohol was flowing freely, and the people gathered around the table were smiling and joking for the first time since they had brought Marie's tortured body back to Shibusen.

Glasses slammed down on the table, and boisterous voices talked over each other, each trying to share a different story of their fallen companion. A single glass in the corner sat untouched in front of an empty chair. It was Marie's. The group quieted a bit as Spirit staggered to his feet, more than a little drunk.

"I remember when, when Marie first came back to Shibusen. She tried, she tried so hard to avoid," he hiccupped here, "any type of work. She managed to get lost her first day back although…" his voice lowered to a whisper and he glanced over at the empty seat, "I think it might have been on purpose." Laughter rippled through the table as everyone raised their glasses and took another deep drink of their various alcohols.

Spirit collapsed down into his chair, laughing so hard that there were tears in his eyes. Azusa stood next, taking a drink of her sake before speaking. "Marie was so obsessed with finding a boyfriend when we were in class that she never-" the death scythe paused for a second and blinked, "she never studied for any of her tests. To this day, I don't understand how the airhead managed to pass all of them! But she did, without a single bit of time detracted from pining over her love life." Azusa's voice dropped conspiratorially low, "I may have been a little jealous." Another round of laughter broke through the ranks as Azusa stumbled slightly, leaving her drink behind and headed to the bathroom.

"To Marie!" Stein called out, his cheeks flushed slightly from the alcohol as he drained nearly an entire beer during the toast. The assembled friends echoed his sentiment before quieting down as the scientist stood somewhat unsteadily.

"I remember when Marie moved into the lab. She brought with her all these bright colors, and insisted on throwing open the blinds and curtains throughout the entire lab. She ruined not three but four of my experiments doing it," Stein's voice dissolved briefly into flitting laughter, "but she insisted on making amends for it. Her idea of making amends was to strategically place plants in front of windows so that they would filter some of the sunlight and provide fresh air! But she bought plastic ones!"

The table erupted in laughter as Stein slumped back down into his seat, already drinking another beer that Spirit had slid to him from across the table. "To Marie!" Sid called out, standing to his feet to share his story of Marie, this one of their time together at the academy, and he barely caught Azusa as she stumbled over her own heels coming back to the table. The group laughed, and Sid went on with his story.

"I remember the first time I met Marie was when I was still alive. She was lost in the halls, trying to get to her class on time, and bumped into me. I don't know if she thought that I was trying to attack her or what, but she knocked me through a wall and into the girl's locker room. I never knew if I should thank her for that or be angry!" Sid raised his glass to the chair in the corner, laughing as he did so.

"To Marie!" Nygus called out. "To the most stubborn, unmotivated, dedicated and loving person any of us will ever have the privilege of knowing!"

"To Marie!" The small group called out, throwing back another round of drinks.

"To Marie! The only person I've ever seen who could make doing nothing look like hard labor!" Azusa laughed out.

"To Marie!" Another toast, another set of drinks.

"To Marie! The only death scythe who wanted to retire before she was even a death scythe!" Sid called out.

"To Marie!" The group echoed, drinking again.

"To Marie!" Spirit said surging to his feet and swaying a bit. "The most wonderful woman I never had the pleasure of pleasuring!"

The group burst into laughter, drinks emptying.

Stein stood then, his bottle in the air. "To Marie! The woman we all loved and miss."

The group was silent for a moment, processing what the swaying scientist had said.

"To Marie." Nygus said, the others echoing her, drinks being raised one final time.

Azusa was the first to stand, bowing to the empty chair. "Itersasai, watashi no tomodachi." The woman left the bar then, slipping into a waiting taxi.

Sid and Nygus stood after her, both raising one last drink to the empty chair. "Safe travels on." Nygus said as Sid inclined his head. They left the bar, leaning on each other for support. They stumbled together down the road, tears slipping out from underneath Nygus' bandages.

Stein stood to his feet a few minutes later. "I'm… I'm going to the grave." Stein said slowly.

"Sh-tine. She's not… not there." Spirit slurred out. "Y-you s-said it yaself." Spirit stood hesitantly to his feet, moving to the scientist. "No p-point." He glanced over at the full glass. The man hit his knees suddenly. "She's gone."

Stein went to his knees beside the man as Spirit hung his head sobbing. "Wakes are happy, Senpai." Stein tamped down the anguish he felt at the man's words. "You don't cry at them, we're honoring her, not mourning her." His hand hesitantly fell on Spirit's shoulder and the other man looked up. Without the scientist's consent his hand reached up, brushing Spirit's hair away from the other man's face.

A moment later Spirit's lips pressed against Stein's own, pushing the scientist backwards to where he was supporting his weight on his hands; Spirit was sprawled against his chest, the man's fingertips brushing against the scientist's. Through the haze of alcohol Stein fought to understand what was going on, a feeling that he didn't understand surfacing. It was familiar though, one that he had repressed around Marie for almost the entire time they had lived together.

As Spirit pulled away, a blush on the death scythe's face, Stein made a decision. He had ignored the feeling with Marie, and she was gone. He wasn't going to make the same mistake with Spirit. He sat up as Spirit pulled away, apologies already on the death scythe's lips as the adrenaline from the shock burned away some of the drunken stupor they were both in. One dexterous hand wrapped around the other man's tie, and drug Spirit's face back down to Stein's.

Stein's lips pressed against Spirit's and the death scythe closed his eyes, leaning against Stein. A sudden sound caused them to pull apart, the bartender looking down at them.

"I'm closing up," he said quietly, looking pointedly at the door.

The two stood, Spirit sheepishly rubbing the back of his head and Stein turning the screw in his head. Spirit pulled out more than enough money to pay for what they had drank and the two stepped into the night together.

"Her grave?" Spirit asked suddenly, holding up a bottle with a sly grin.

Stein smirked. "To her grave."

Side by side they staggered not towards the graveyard, but towards the Death Room and the grave that Marie's soul was resting in.

* * *

Spirit's arm was draped over Stein's shoulder as they wandered down the halls of Shibusen, the bottle already empty, shared between the two of them. They were as lost as Marie ever had been, sharing a laugh over that fact. Coming around a corner both of them hit their asses as Shinigami-sama himself was in front of them.

"You two have been wandering the halls for nearly an hour, come on." The being turned to leave and the two men just looked at each other.

" _Senpai, do you see him?"_ Stein whispered.

" _I do, do you?"_ Spirit replied, warily eyeing the shinigami.

" _I do too."_

" _He must be real then. Guess we should follow."_ Spirit tried to stand, and fell backwards, laughing. Stein didn't fare much better, his legs unsteady and shaky as he did. He reached out a hand to help the death scythe to his feet and nearly toppled over as Spirit stood. Giggles poured from the scientist's throat before he yawned, turning to follow the cloaked figure.

There, thirty feet ahead of them was a door that they both remembered passing multiple times. Shinigami-sama just shook his head, opening the door and waiting for the drunken meister and weapon to enter the room. They stumbled in, leaning on each other again and stopped, looking around in wonder.

They waited until Shinigami-sama had floated past them, and followed him to the small cross that was Marie's grave. Spirit smiled down at the grave and Stein knelt in front of it his long fingers digging into the dirt before removing an item from his lab coat and placing it into the hole.

"What did you bury, Stein-kun?" Shinigami-sama asked.

"The mate to the other piece." Stein said simply, standing and wiping the dirt off his fingers.

"The other piece?" Spirit echoed.

"Marie had two things that were very dear to her," the scientist explained, twisting the screw in his head. "One was an eye patch her grandmother had given her, which I buried with her body. The other was what I just buried here."

"Which was?" Spirit asked.

Stein smirked. "The tag that denoted her as a weapon. She said entering the academy was the proudest day of her life."

The three individuals looked down at the grave. Spirit's voice was quiet. "Goodbye, Marie. Rest well."

Stein just nodded. "Goodbye, Marie. I'm… sorry." With that he turned and walked off, Spirit following the meister a second later.

Spirit walked with Stein the whole way to the Patchwork Lab, and followed the meister in. He collapsed onto the couch, kicking his shoes off, and was asleep before Stein could even make a smart aleck comment.

The surprising thing to the scientist was that he couldn't think of anything smart alecky enough to say, and that he didn't mind the fact that he wouldn't be alone at all.


	6. Hangover

Stein blinked bleary eyes, staring up at the ceiling for a long moment before one hand reached up to shakily twist the screw in his head. After a couple rotations and the resounding click he became aware of pressure on his chest, and hazarded a glance down.

He was lying on the purple couch, Spirit sprawled out against him. An empty bottle was still clenched in Spirit's hand and the man was snoring contentedly, his face resting against Stein's chest.

Stein was at a loss for what to do. If he moved, it would wake Spirit. If he didn't move, Spirit would eventually awake on his own, and this was a very, very awkward position for them to wake up in. He was still wearing his lab coat, but he could see the contents of said lab coat sitting on the table, just out of reach, along with one of Spirit's shoes.

He didn't remember emptying the pockets, and he had no idea how Spirit's shoe got onto the table. He vaguely remembered sitting down on the couch to pull his own shoes off. He did however realize rather suddenly that his head was pounding terribly. With a sigh he began the process of trying to move the death scythe without waking him, slipping his hands underneath Spirit's armpits and gently sliding the man upward.

Getting Spirit to move on his own was a bit of a challenge, but Stein eventually managed it and he stood, leaving the death scythe lying face down on the couch. The man murmured a bit and Stein sighed, slipping his lab coat off and draping it over Spirit. Stein stretched then, feeling his back crack, and walked into the kitchen to start some coffee before he went to the lab to get some pain killers.

Spirit was sitting up and yawning when Stein came back in. "Yo, Senpai," Stein said, as he walked back in, "take these."

Spirit almost didn't catch the tossed bottle. "What… what are they?" Spirit asked suspiciously.

"Pain killers."

"I don't need them." Spirit said, yawning, and he tossed the bottle back.

Stein caught it, and turned to set it down on the desk beside him. "Alright, Senpai," he said as he shrugged.

"Marie's wake went well." Spirit said casually, retrieving his shoe from the table and looking for the other one. Stein kicked it to him. "Thanks."

"It did. I think it helped everyone to cope a little bit, though I have to admit that things got pretty fuzzy towards the end, Senpai." Stein said sitting down across from the death scythe. "I have coffee started."

"Yeah, it ended well too," Spirit said, staring at the ground for a moment before standing. "I should probably just go on home, Stein."

Stein's eyes flicked up to the man, "If that's what you believe, Senpai." Spirit paused for a second. Stein could see the something in the man's eyes, hidden quickly. Before either could say anything though, the pot in the kitchen began to whistle, and Stein stood, walking into the kitchen.

He could sense the hesitation in Spirit's wavelength, and bits of the night before began to leak back into Stein's memory. Stein's hand twisted the screw as he poured two cups of coffee.

Spirit's wavelength was still hesitating in the living room.

"Have a cup of coffee, Senpai. You may not be suffering from a hangover like us normal people… but my head is pounding." Stein held out the cup.

Spirit took it and sat down. "I'm just used to waking up like this," he said with an almost forced laugh. "You haven't gotten that drunk before have you, Stein?"

"Considering I barely remember what happened after we left the bar? I can honestly say no. Though I assume that we drank the bottle that you pilfered."

Spirit laughed. "Yeah, I remember downing it before we even managed to get to the Death Room. I was pretty sloshed then too though." Stein watched Spirit's wavelength closely as the man took a drink of the coffee, nearly spilling it when it proved hotter than he had anticipated.

"It was nice of Shinigami-sama to come to our rescue. I wonder how many times he had to do that for Marie." Stein said, leaning back against the couch and looking up at the stitched ceiling, taking a careful drink of his coffee before balancing it on his knee. It felt like he had swallowed a rock.

"Probably more times than we would ever guess." Spirit said, leaning forward onto his knees. "I know the first few days she was back at Shibusen Sid had been assigned to help her. Even following him she managed to get turned around and lost."

Stein smirked. "She'd get lost in the lab, too. I'd find her eventually in some disused lab that I hadn't sat foot in for years. Occasionally she would have given up trying to find her way back and I'd find her cleaning it or looking at an old notebook I had been using."

"How long did she stay lost?" Spirit asked as he looked over at the other man.

"I think the longest time was about 12 hours. I was unaware of the time, having gotten wrapped up in an experiment. I didn't notice that she was gone until I realized I was hungry. I stood and ended up finding her asleep in one of the labs." Stein's smirk softened somewhat into an almost true smile. "She told me that she knew I'd come find her so she hadn't been worried and that she'd get dinner started."

Spirit chuckled a bit. "That sounds just like Marie. You know, Stein, the best thing for a hangover is more alcohol and it does happen to be nearly 5pm."

The scientist stood to his feet with a smirk and felt his stomach turn over, the world spinning in addition to the pounding of his head. He saw Spirit look at him in concern before he turned on his heel and headed towards the bathroom. He was nearly running at the end, and almost didn't make it before he vomited out the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

"Hey, Stein?" Spirit's voice came from the door, and Stein just heaved into the toilet again. A moment later Stein felt the death scythe's hand touch his back, rubbing gentle circles. Stein glared down at the pain pills that he could clearly see in the mess, his mouth open and ribbons of mucus and bile trailing between his mouth and the toilet. He spat into the toilet, trying to get the taste out of his mouth as best he could.

Spirit pushed something into his hands. Stein blinked when he realized that it was a washrag, already wet. He started to push it against his lips, but Spirit grabbed his hand.

"Use it on your forehead first, and your cheeks. It'll help, trust me. Then wipe your mouth off, gargle and brush your teeth." Stein glanced up and found Spirit smiling down at him. "I've been through this enough, Stein. You can trust me."

Stein just murmured, his stomach much more settled, and did as Spirit had instructed. He stood shakily to his feet, Spirit's hand under his arm and grabbed a toothbrush out of the cabinet above the sink. Spirit stood quietly beside him as he brushed his teeth, and Stein could see the nervousness about the death scythe as he finished brushing his teeth, threw the toothbrush away and repeated the process.

Spirit watched and when Stein had finished brushing his teeth the second time, Spirit leaned against the doorframe and sighed.

"Tell me, Stein… just how much of last night do you actually remember?"

Spirit's question caught Stein slightly off guard, and he dug through his hazy, muddled memories. A turn of the screw cleared some of the murk from them and he smirked at Spirit through the mirror. Even almost lost in the haze of alcohol as it was, Stein knew exactly what it was that Spirit was asking about.

"I remember everything from the wake, and I remember getting to Shibusen. Things go blurry after that until I am standing over Marie's grave with her weapon tag, and then I remember walking. I don't really remember arriving at the lab, or going to sleep." Stein turned slowly to face Spirit, the weapon's eyes wide.

"You remember the whole wake." Spirit said slowly, and Stein could see the tension in Spirit's posture even without using _Soul Perception_. The scientist just nodded, a smirk on his face as he twisted the screw. "Look, Stein, I'm sorry about what happened after the others left. We were both-"

Spirit was cut off as Stein stepped to him, one hand curling around the weapon's loose tie while the other slipped up behind Spirit's head, tangling in the man's red hair. Spirit's eyes went wide as Stein's face came impossibly close to him, something warm and soft pushing against his lips.

Stein pulled back slowly, watching the weapon. "I made a mistake, Senpai," he said quietly. "I ignored the feeling I had for Marie because I didn't understand it, and honestly, didn't think that it was important to. She's gone now. I am not going to make the same mistake with you."

Spirit stood there, speechless; his former meister's body close to his, the man's hand still entangled in his hair. A smirk crossed Stein's face at the look on Spirit's face, the weapon's eyes wide, his cheeks slightly flushed.

The only thing that saved Spirit was the sudden ringing of the mirror behind them.


	7. Confessions

"Stein- mirror." Spirit squeaked out, and Stein released his hold on the other man to turn around and face the mirror as Shinigami-sama's face appeared in it.

"Ah, Stein-kun! So glad that you are here. And Spirit-kun is with you as well!" The being bounced backwards. "Ah, I've interrupted your morning, I apologize. We need you to come to Shibusen though, Stein-kun."

His next words sent shivers down the men's spines. "The witch is only willing to speak with you and your weapon- with the people that destroyed a lifetime of work as she put it."

"I will kill her if I am left with her." Stein's voice was cold and even Spirit took a step back.

"You have more control than that, Stein-kun. And Spirit-kun will be with you. Can you come immediately?"

Spirit spoke before the scientist could object. "We'll grab something to eat on the way and be there as soon as possible, Shinigami-sama."

"That's great to hear! Alright, we'll see you soon!" Shinigami-sama clapped his oversized hands together and with a flash of light the connection between the mirrors was severed.

Spirit turned to leave a moment before Stein's hand caught his arm. "Senpai?"

Spirit took a deep breath. "Yeah, Stein?" The death scythe didn't turn to face the scientist.

"You are the one who initially showed affection, yet you're hesitant now."

"I was drunk." Spirit said quickly.

"So what you're saying is that the only reason you have stayed beside me through this was because you were drunk? I hardly believe that that is the truth. You were sober, and boasted of the fact, when we were at the motel room. You were sober when you stopped me from killing the witch, and kept me rooted in sanity. You were obviously more sober than I was during and after Marie's wake." Stein's voice was low and quiet. "You're sober now."

"Shinigami-sama is waiting for us," Spirit choked out.

Stein's hand fell limply from Spirit's wrist. "I'm sorry."

Spirit turned. Never once had Stein ever apologized to him for anything. "Stein?"

"I have overstepped. This is why I ignored the feeling with Marie. Nothing good will ever come from allowing this type of feeling to flourish. You of all people should know that, Senpai." Stein's hand rose to the screw and he twisted it. "I suppose it was a distracting experiment for the moment."

Spirit hung his head and sighed. "Stein, you don't understand."

"Understand what, Senpai?" Stein's voice was further from Spirit than it had been, and the death scythe looked up. Stein was near the double doors that led to his research lab, one hand resting on the door knob.

"Stein, I'm straight. You don't know how to handle what you're experiencing; you're confusing friendship with something else." Spirit's voice lacked conviction.

Green eyes bored into blue ones from across the room. "You don't believe that do you, Senpai?"

Spirit took a deep breath. "No, damnit."

Stein stared at him from 30 feet away, and Spirit could feel the man staring at his very soul. Spirit closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he reopened them, Stein was moving towards him, and he felt suddenly like prey. The scientist stopped maybe a foot away from the death scythe.

"If you don't believe that, why did you say it?"

"Because it can't be true." Spirit's voice was slightly strained. "I was married. I have a daughter." Stein watched him impassively as the death scythe fidgeted. "I… I can't love you. I'm terrified of you."

Stein smirked. "Marie told me once that we don't choose who we love, Senpai. I know now what she was referring to," the smirk slipped a bit, but Spirit didn't notice; the man was absorbed with looking anywhere other than at Stein. "I believe that she was correct."

Spirit looked up and Stein didn't move. The death scythe swallowed. "Shinigami-sama is waiting for us." Stein nodded, turning to walk towards the research lab.

There was a sharp tug on his wrist and Stein stopped, turning to face the death scythe. "Marie was right." Spirit said as his other hand came up to wrap around the back of Stein's head, pulling the man down and kissing him. Stein's eyes widened for a moment before he let himself lean into the kiss.

Spirit was blushing when he pulled away from Stein and Stein just smirked.

"Are you going to apologize again, Senpai?" Stein teased.

"Damnit, Stein. I'm not."

Stein just laughed. "Let's go then. Shinigami-sama is waiting for us." The pair left the lab then.

* * *

"She refuses to give us even her name unless the two of you are there." Shinigami-sama said.

"How will she even know?" Stein asked. "She doesn't have her eyesight."

"She said that she can tell from the voice." The being said as they followed him down the halls. "Apparently you spoke to her during your encounter. We tried sending in fakes so we didn't have to bother the two of you after last night's wake." There was pain in Shinigami-sama's voice as he said that, "However she knew they were a fake as soon as they spoke. I'm sorry to interrupt your mourning over Marie-chan, but this is important." Shinigami-sama stopped outside a door and looked at them.

"She's in here with an Internal Affairs agent. He'll leave as soon as you enter. She's gagged for now; we've worked out a system to communicate with her. One knock on the table is yes, two is no; simplistic, but it works.

Spirit stepped in front of the meister and opened the door. He looked at the Internal Affairs agent and a glare crossed the death scythe's face.

"You should be removed from the investigation." Spirit said coldly as the man walked out.

The IA agent just shook his head. "I was following protocol. He was a suspect." Stein just watched as the two men glared at each other before the agent bowed to Shinigami-sama and left.

There were no words spoken as the pair stepped into the room, the heavy door sliding shut, Spirit standing between Stein and the witch.

"We were informed that you are aware of the system for responses. Is this true?" Spirit asked. One pale hand rapped gently on the table. "We're here to ask you questions. Do you understand that?" Another rap on the table. "We're going ungag you, so that you can speak. I understand that the injury you took to your throat makes long answers difficult for you, so we'll keep the questions simple. Alright?" Another rap on the table.

Stein stepped to the other side of the table as Spirit removed the gag from the witch's mouth. Her voice was a rasping whisper, _"An injury your friend inflicted on me."_

"Let's save your voice for the questions that actually pertain to you keeping your life." Stein said coldly.

" _That's the voice that I've been waiting to hear,"_ she rasped out. _"Full of hate and pain. Did I break one of your toys?"_ The rasp of air through the witch's lips might have been a laugh, but it was hard to tell.

Stein slipped his lab coat off and moved to Spirit. "Hold this," the scientist said quietly. Spirit took the lab coat from him and felt the unmistakable weight of a scalpel in the pocket. A moment later his fist slammed into the woman's face, cracking it to the side and throwing the witch out of her chair. She crashed to the ground her bound limbs unable to stop her from the impact.

Stein grabbed her by the front of her shirt and dragged her to her feet. "I remember making a promise to you. Shinigami-sama gave you to me to interrogate, not Internal Affairs, not any other branch of Shibusen, because he knows that I will do whatever it takes to get the information we need from you, whether or not you are alive at it is your choice." Stein's voice was hard as steel.

" _So she was your toy."_ There was another rasp of air as the witch lifted her head to let her covered eyes meet his. The effect was unnerving for the death scythe that was standing a few feet away but didn't seem to affect the scientist holding the woman. She cocked her head, and if not for the fact that he had been too slow to keep Stein from removing her eyes Spirit would have sworn that she was staring straight at him. _"Aren't you going to call your dog off?"_

Spirit forced a laugh. "My dog? You think that Stein belongs to anyone? He only grudgingly does as Shinigami-sama asks. I'm just here to make sure he gets the answers before he kills you." Even without her eyes the men could see the fear that washed over the woman's face. "Just answer his questions and I'll make sure he doesn't torture you more than necessary."

" _You ruined a lifetime of work. Took my eyes, destroyed my beautiful voice."_

Stein smirked. "I'd like to take more than your eyes, destroy more than you voice. I'd enjoy nothing more than to dissect a witch. To tear you apart, cut you to pieces with you alive. The need to know is overwhelming." His voice curved up into a high pitched giggle, his hands shaking the witch.

Spirit knew it was an act, and it was still terrifying to watch Stein court the insanity like he was doing. He intervened, his hand landing on Stein's shoulder. The man's laughter fell down and ended.

"Just tell us everything." Stein said quietly. "Starting with who you are and why you took Marie Mjolnir."

There was a gently rasp of air as the witch exhaled. _"You will give me my life if I answer all your questions."_

Stein glanced at Spirit who nodded. "If you answer all our questions sufficiently I will give you your life." The twisted smile that Stein wore as he finished the promise worried Spirit immensely.


	8. Freezing

" _She was in the wrong place at the right time for us. We never thought we'd take her so easily."_ The witch hissed out.

"Your name." Stein said, roughly pushing her into the chair again.

" _Auril."_

Spirit asked the next question. "Why did you take Marie? Be specific."

" _She was there and it's better to have two than one."_ Once again it seemed as if the woman was meeting his eyes directly, and Spirit shuddered.

"For what?" Stein cut in.

" _Why do you think? You are supposed to be a genius."_ The woman's tone was condescending.

A twisted smirk pulled across Stein's face. "I think that I am going to enjoy dissecting you, Witch Auril." Spirit shot the man a warning look and Stein completely ignored it. "I'll start by permanently silencing you. Then I'll enlarge the incision and examine the structure of your throat, play with your thyroid." His voice lowered, _"It is a hypothesis of mine that the thyroid in a witch is more highly developed than that of a normal human. Give me a reason to find out."_

The woman swallowed hard, and Spirit stepped in, pushing Stein back. He met the meister's eyes and glared at him. Stein just smirked and shrugged, mouthing _I want to know_ at the death scythe. Spirit just shook his head.

"Witch Auril, detail your reason for taking Marie Mjolnir." Spirit said, professionally as he sat down on the other side of the table.

She was silent.

Spirit leaned forward, repeating his demand.

" _I heard you the first time,"_ she rasped out. _"There was no reason for taking her. All it did was allow us to have a card to play against your friend."_

"If you wanted a card to play against him, why did you kill Marie?" Beside Spirit Stein's hands clenched into fists as Spirit asked.

The witch shrugged. _"I didn't know she was even dead at first. You fools let it slip through your actions. One of the mimesis must have gotten… too far in character."_ A hissing laugh followed the statement.

Spirit reacted before Stein could, grabbing the witch by the front of her shirt and bringing his hand smartly across her face.

"What is the point of these…. mimesis?" Spirit demanded, the witch still pulled across the table.

" _Algid, Brumal, Piercing, Frore."_ Auril rasped out, a smirk twisting her features as she quickly completed the spell.

"Senpai!" Stein's voice called out as Spirit released the woman, staggering back, surprise on the weapon's face.

The spell went off, the woman hissing out her laughter. A second later Spirit was pinned to the wall, a shard of ice piercing his shoulder, a blue frost spreading from the wound. Spirit gasped at the cold.

And it was cold. The weapon felt like he was freezing, and began to gasp for breath even as Stein moved to his side. Blinking became difficult, and Spirit realized that he could actually see his breath in the air. "Sssss-ttteeee-iinnn" Spirit chattered out, his jaw nearly refusing to move. "C-c-c-ooo-lldd." The man was obviously in shock.

Stein grabbed the large ice shard that was impaling Spirit's shoulder and yanked as the witch cackled behind them. Spirit screamed in agony, his flesh tearing with the ice, the network of frost on his skin stretching and cracking as Stein pulled on the shard. The scientist stopped and turned to face the witch. One long stride took him to her side, and he lifted her bodily from the chair, slamming her into the wall.

"Undo it or I kill you now." Stein's voice was low and promised nothing but pain.

She laughed, her head thrown back. _"Undo it? You'll still kill me, and this way he dies just like your other one!"_

Rage boiled in Stein's veins, his hand drawing back to attack even as the door to the room burst open and people flooded into it, pulling Stein away from the witch, some carefully pulling Spirit, ice and all, from the wall. Stein screamed out wordlessly as they drug him away from her, Auril cackling until they gagged her.

* * *

Spirit's eyes were closed, the weapon's body rigid. His lips were tinged with blue; his fingernails were also blue along with the tips of his fingers. The shard of ice was still lodged in his shoulder, the network of frost covering nearly his entire chest, his right arm, and sliding up his neck and down his abdomen. The only thing keeping the man breathing was the tube that was sending warm air into his lungs.

Stein sat on the edge of his chair, his hands wrapped around Spirit's left hand, desperately trying to share warmth with the man. The dispensary had to be around 90 degrees already, nurses constantly checking on Spirit to see if his body temperature was maintaining.

So far it had been steadily dropping. The man had stopped shivering already, and Stein could feel the cold radiating from the weapon.

" _Senpai…_ " Stein's voice was strained as he sat there. He had already shed his lab coat, the heat in the room already warmer than he cared for, and steadily rising. A portable heater sat beside the death scythe, blaring heat against the freezing man.

He could feel Spirit's soul only dimly. The scientist worried what that meant. It was as if Spirit's soul was encased in ice and Stein didn't know what that could possibly mean.

' _What if the spell kills him? Will his soul be free, or will it remain trapped?'_ Stein thought, a pang in his chest that he wasn't sure what it meant. Without realizing it, his hands closed tighter on Spirit's.

Hours passed. Stein sat beside Spirit, watching as the man's chest rose slower and slower, unable to do anything. His own hands were freezing; the cold from Spirit's leeching any warmth from Stein's. A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up at Nygus.

"Stein, it's too hot in here for you to stay. His temperature is steady now- go get some sleep. They have a team of interrogator's working on Auril. They'll get what they need to know about how to undo the spell out of her." The mummy looked down at him.

Stein could feel the sweat on his face then, the salty sting of it in wounds not quite yet healed from their initial fight with the witch. He just shook his head.

"Spirit wouldn't leave if I were injured."

"You're not partners anymore, Stein. You'll not do him any good if you've collapsed from heat exhaustion!" Nygus' voice was firm and Stein blinked as she pried his hands off Spirit's. "Now, go. Get some sleep or I'll sedate you myself."

Stein smirked slightly as Nygus propelled him out of the hospital room. He walked off, leaving his lab coat behind him, draped over the death scythe's body.

Spirit's hand curled into it, bunching the stitched fabric between his fingers.


	9. Revelations

Nygus shook her head as she walked out of the dispensary a few hours later. Stein was asleep, sitting against the wall, his head leaning back against it. _'I suppose I wasn't plain enough about him going home and getting sleep.'_ She thought, a small smile crossing her face as she kicked Stein's hip. The meister's eyes popped open and were unfocused for a moment.

"Any change?" Stein asked as he cranked the screw in his head a couple times.

"None, he's unconscious, his temperature is maintaining. The interrogation team hasn't gotten anything out the witch yet. If nothing has changed in the morning, we're going to try cutting the ice, and if that doesn't work, we'll try something akin to a torch to melt it. Until then, Franken, go _home_ and get some sleep." Nygus said, blocking the entrance to the dispensary as the man stood.

"At least let me check on him before I go." Stein said, standing in front of her.

"If I let you back in the dispensary, you're not going to be willing to leave, and we both know it. Just go home."

Stein stood, eyeing the weapon for a moment before turning on his heel and walking off. "Let me know if there are any changes, Mira."

"I will, Franken."

* * *

A buzzing pulled the scientist from his sleep on the couch. He blinked and almost yelled for Marie to answer the phone before the last week's memories crashed down over him. He grabbed the phone almost violently and growled out, "Yes?"

"Stein, Spirit is asking for you."

The phone hit the ground as the scientist rushed out of the lab and towards Shibusen.

* * *

Spirit was sitting up in bed, the ice shard almost completely melted away when Stein came into the room. He stood in the doorway, almost feeling awkward as he looked at the group of people surrounding the now conscious death scythe's bed.

Spirit smiled at him though, and Stein smirked when he realized that even though almost off the other blankets had been removed from Spirit's bed his lab coat was still spread out over the man. Stein caught Nygus' arm as she started to move past him and she looked up at him, dark circles visible even under her eyes.

"The interrogation team broke her, but not before they had a casualty. Shinigami-sama wants to talk to you after you speak with Spirit." Nygus inclined her head towards the death scythe and the people that had been gathered around him parted and left the room as Stein approached.

"Senpai." Stein's voice was quiet and he sat on one of the empty seats beside the bed, his hands resting in his lap.

"Hey, Stein. Nygus said she had to threaten you to get you to leave," Spirit joked out, pushing himself into a better sitting position and winced a bit as he did so.

"I couldn't leave a patient." Stein said, looking at the streaks of frost still covering the death scythe's chest.

"Yeah, Nygus said you stayed until she made you leave. You didn't have to do that, Stein." Spirit said as he turned his head to look at the scientist.

Stein just smirked. "I know that I didn't, though I could hardly observe your condition properly from the lab."

Spirit gave a small chuckle that turned into a yawn, and the man tilted his head way from Stein as he did so, his neck stretching as he raised his hand to cover his mouth. "I know Nygus said I was unconscious for a while, but I don't feel like I've slept much."

Stein furrowed his forehead and focused on Spirit's soul. It still looked like it was encased in ice, and if anything, the cage was stronger than it had been. He watched as the ice melted and the cage grew stronger, if only by a miniscule amount. Spirit was still talking, but Stein wasn't paying attention, he was just watching the spell that was wrapped around Spirit's body weaken as the one around his soul strengthened.

"Stein?" Spirit's hand weakly caught Stein's arm and the scientist blinked back into focus. "Hey, Stein?" Spirit repeated.

"Senpai, I have to talk to Shinigami-sama." Stein stood brusquely, leaving the room as Spirit watched in disbelief.

"Stein?" Spirit's voice reminded him of the pleading way Marie had called to him a few days before she had been taken, and the scientist froze in the door.

A few long strides took him back to Spirit's side, his hand wrapping around the death scythe's tie while his other leaned on the bed as he pushed Spirit against the wall. The death scythe's eyes opened wide as Stein's lips pressed against his, a small gasp of surprise escaping him.

Spirit tasted cold. His lips were still nearly frozen, and the gasp that ran along Stein's lips was colder than it should be, but Stein ignored that. He just leaned against the man, deepening the kiss, his eyes slipping closed as he felt Spirit's hand rest on his back. They opened again when he felt resistance and with a start realized that Spirit was leaning forward and kissing him back.

"Ahem." The cough was gentle, but definitely a reminder that they were in a public place. "Franken, Shinigami-sama is wanting to speak to you." Mira Nygus' voice was quiet, and when the meister and weapon turned to look at her she was trying hard to suppress a smile.

"Yes… thank you Mira." Stein said as he stood from the bed, Spirit's hand only reluctantly slipping from the meister's back.

A glance at Spirit's soul calmed Stein a bit. The cage that was encompassing the weapon's soul was weaker. A sly smirk slipped across the scientist's face as he walked onward to the meeting with Shinigami-sama.

He wasn't quick enough to miss Nygus' comment to Spirit. "I thought that you liked girls, Death Scythe."

"Oh shut up, Nygus," his weapon responded.

* * *

"Shinigami-sama, I was told that you wanted to speak with me." Stein said during his bow to the reaper.

"Ah yes, Stein-kun! I wanted to let you know what we had learned from the Witch Auril!" Shinigami-sama's voice was too hyper and happy for the scientist and he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Well?" Stein asked after a moment.

"Well what?"

Stein sighed. "You were going to tell me about Witch Auril."

"Oh yes! She planned on using a mimesis of you to infiltrate the academy." There was a moment of silence.

"And Marie?"

Shinigami-sama's voice was sad. "The witch referred to her as 'collateral damage' and a 'casualty of war', I'm sorry. It seems… she was in the wrong place at the wrong time… according to the witch, if she can be trusted, Marie was supposed to be kept alive…" The skull shaped mask drilled into Stein's eyes. "They were going to trade her for you."

"Why me?"

"Outcast, loner, hermit." The words evoked no reaction from the scientist. "You were an easy target for them to replace… any personality deviations would be easily explained by a drop into madness… I am truly sorry for Marie, my condolences, Stein-kun."

Stein just sighed. "There was a casualty."

"Yes, the Internal Affairs agent that replaced BJ was killed by another spell, this one residual magic on her person."

"What caused her to release the spell on Senpai?" Stein asked curiously.

The shape of Shinigami-sama's mask changed slightly, looking both terrifying and humorous at once. "She was given an option. Life in prison should she remove the spell, or I would destroy every last trace of her soul. She readily agreed."

Stein couldn't help the smirk that crossed his lips. "Did you find out any of the specifics of her plan, Shinigami-sama?"

"Yes, actually we did." The shinigami said, and Stein waited patiently for the answer.


	10. Chipping the Ice

Nygus smirked a bit at the man in the bed as she went on with her normal cleaning and caring for the dispensary. Spirit fidgeted as she did so, and whenever she'd glance his way, the man's cheeks were tinged red.

"Oh come on, Spirit. For Death's sake, it isn't like Blair or someone that can't keep their mouths shut caught the two of you." Nygus teased.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mira." Spirit said, glancing out the window.

"I'm sure you don't, Spirit. Don't worry though. I do know how to be discrete." The death scythe sighed as the other weapon walked around the corner. "Though, I'm not sure if Sid can be. That's just the kind of man he was."

Spirit paled.

* * *

"They were planning on replacing you in the academy and taking over your classes. That would give them an inside look at the academy, along with access to our students. She didn't say as much, but it was implied that like Marie, you were going to be kept alive. It's assumed that it was to garner as much information as they could from you."

Stein smirked. "They would have failed."

"I know that you are highly resistant to torture, Stein-kun, but they did have Marie-chan. You would have done anything to prevent harm to her." Shinigami-sama reminded the doctor, and Stein clenched his hands into fists before forcing them open.

"I would have given my life for her; they were idiots to have ever allowed harm to come to her." Stein forced out.

"Stein-kun, focus. They wanted you, to take over your class. That means they were aiming for the E.A.T. class and the students there in. It was more than just you and Marie, if they could have done anything to any of our E.A.T. students, we could have been without defenses at some point in the future."

"You're correct in assuming that they would be weakened, but we will never be truly without defenses… there are always the scattered death scythes, the retired meisters, and if necessary, there will be the N.O.T. class and burgeoning E.A.T. students."

"I am aware that there will always be backups, Stein-kun, but we may have suffered more serious losses."

Stein was silent, his hands clenched into fists and he took a deep breath before he spoke, his eyes downcast. "Losing Marie was still a serious loss, Shinigami-sama."

"Even so… I am… grateful that we only lost one to this plot." Shinigami-sama said carefully.

Stein's voice was cold and he quickly changed the topic. "Witch Auril, what will be done with her?"

"Hmmm…" Shinigami-sama's overly large hand tapped at his chin. "Kept prisoner, I suppose!"

Stein's eyes flicked up. "I want her."

"Stein-kun I can't allow that. Marie-chan wouldn't want you to lose yourself because of her. Letting you 'have' Witch Auril would no doubt see you lost to the madness." Shinigami-sama said gently. "Stein-kun, try to understand."

"I understand. That doesn't mean that I am happy with your decision. That… witch killed Marie. She nearly killed Spirit-senpai. She did kill an IA agent. Yet you simply wish to imprison her. That's like sending a child to their room. It accomplishes nothing." Stein said bitterly.

"Stein-kun, it accomplishes more than you would expect." Shinigami-sama said as the scientist turned on his heel. "Where are you going?"

"There's a spell wrapped around Spirit-senpai's soul still." The scientist said dismissively. "Perhaps you should ask your pet witch about it."

Shinigami-sama watched the unstable scientist leave and sighed.

* * *

Spirit was sitting with his legs over the edge of the bed when Stein came back, the ice completely melted. The death scythe was still cold though, and Stein smirked to see that Spirit was wearing his lab coat.

"I don't believe that the stitches suit you, Senpai." Stein said as he walked into the now empty dispensary.

"It's warmer than the blanket that they left me with. I know they said my temperature was coming back to normal, but I still feel half froze." Spirit said, continuing to look out the window and Stein realized that he was sitting in the sunlight.

Stein was silent as he moved over to sit beside Spirit, looking at the man's soul. As he had expected, the ice that had seemed to be clinging to Spirit's body was gone, but the icy prison around the man's soul was stronger now. Stein's hand reached out and Spirit jerked when he touched his hand. Spirit's hand still felt like ice.

"I'm going to go find out where they moved the portable heater to, Senpai. You need to stay warm." Stein stood and moved to leave, but Spirit's hand shot out. The scientist looked down at the death scythe and realized just how fragile the other man looked.

"Don't, please. Everyone else left after I woke up. Even Nygus left." Spirit's voice was quiet, and he wasn't looking at Stein, but rather out the window. "She told me that I needed to stay in the dispensary until either you or her came back. I… I don't want to be alone." Spirit's voice cracked a bit at the end, and his hand fell from Stein's arm.

Stein hesitated. He knew that Spirit needed to be kept warm. A mobile heater would be the best bet for that. Something twisted inside him though and he remembered that one of the ways to treat hypothermia was body heat. It only took a step to turn and face the death scythe, the scientist's hand resting against Spirit's chest lightly before pushing the man backwards and onto the bed.

Spirit's hands flailed out behind him, but the movement caught him by surprise and he fell. Stein was leaned across Spirit's body a moment later, his lips pushing against Spirit's even as his hands pulled the weapon's legs up and onto the bed. There was confusion in Spirit's eyes but he moved as Stein pushed. Stein broke the kiss once Spirit was back in bed and, to the weapon's surprise, nudged him over enough for the meister to lie beside him on the bed.

"Stein?" Stein's lips pressed against the weapons again as long arms encircled the smaller man.

"You need to get warm." Stein's explanation was brief and simple once he broke the kiss, Spirit's breath short. "Body heat is effective, and you don't have to be alone."

Spirit's face felt hot, so he turned on his side to face away from Stein, the other man's arms wrapped securely around Spirit's waist. Spirit lay there with just his thoughts and Stein's gentle breathing warming the back of his neck, the shivers he hadn't even realized he still had slowly subsiding. Wordlessly the death scythe rolled over to his other side, tucking his head under Stein's chin, the scientist's hands resting against his back.

"My front got cold…" Spirit said drowsily, the warmth from Stein's body lulling him to sleep. A few minutes later the scientist was also asleep, Spirit in his arms.

* * *

Nygus smirked as she walked into the dispensary. Spirit and Stein were both asleep on the small bed, and there was some color in Spirit's cheeks now.

"Well Nygus, it seems that they are both sleeping well. You may want to keep the door to the dispensary closed." There was what could have been a smirk on the zombie's face and Nygus just threaded her arm through his.

"I know, Sid. We'll keep their secret, though."

"Keeping secrets wasn't the kind of man I was. I guess it's a good thing that I'm not that man anymore, isn't it?" Sid chuckled quietly and Nygus smiled behind her bandages.

* * *

_The ice cracked._

* * *


	11. New Waters

Spirit was still asleep, his hands balled up in the fabric of Stein's shirt when the scientist woke up, his body stiff and sore from not moving. Stein's hand touched Spirit's cheek and was reassured to find that the skin was warm, and there was color in it. The ice around the man's soul was definitely melting as well. Spirit's head was resting on Stein's arm, the man's face inches from Stein's.

Words Marie had said to him suddenly clicked.

" _That's so romantic," she said with a heavy sigh._

_They were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, Stein half asleep. He sighed and focused briefly on the image on the screen. The woman from earlier in the movie was waking up and the man that had fallen in love with her at first sight was waking her with a kiss._

" _I don't think that there is anything sweeter than waking up like that. It's so romantic."_

" _I don't understand why you would want to."_

" _Because it is so sweet and caring. I'd wake up like that every morning if I could." The expression on her face was dreamlike and Stein had just shaken his head, going back to ignoring the movie._

Stein looked down at the sleeping man beside him and bent his head down.

His lips pressed against Spirit's and couldn't help but notice that they were much warmer than they had been the last time they had kissed. His hands pulled Spirit closer to him as he leaned into the kiss. Spirit's blue eyes opened slowly much like the woman's had in the movie. There was confusion in them and for one harrowing moment Spirit struggled against Stein's arms.

Then the fog cleared from his mind and his hands uncurled from Stein's shirt, one moving up to cup the man's cheek as the other one slipped down to rest on Stein's hip. He leaned against Stein, a desperation that carried the weight of the previous weeks in it, his teeth biting down slightly on the scientist's lower lip. Stein pulled back a bit, a questioning look on his face, but Spirit didn't care. The hand sitting on Stein's hip came up to wrap around the back of Stein's head and Spirit kissed him again.

There was no gentleness to the kiss, no hesitation. Stein's lips parted slightly as if to say something when the death scythe pulled back for air and as he did Spirit began a different assault. Stein felt his breath hitch as Spirit's tongue invaded his mouth, the death scythe pushing him back and against the bed. Spirit's hand came to rest on Stein's hip and he leaned against the man, finally breaking the kiss to lean his forehead against Stein's, his eyes closed and his breathing quick.

There was an unfamiliar sensation that Stein was beginning to associate with Spirit, and it was only heightened as Spirit's hand brushed against his waist; the man's fingertips just barely brushing against the growing bulge in Stein's pants.

And then it was as if Spirit came fully awake and he pulled his face away from the scientist, surprise painted on it as his eyes opened wide. "Death, I'm sorry Stein," he panted out.

It was Stein's turn to surprise the other man. A million thoughts ran through his mind, but he ignored them all, suppressed the rational side of his mind for once and gave in to instinct. Spirit let out a small "oomph" as Stein's hands wrapped around the man's waist and flipped him over and onto his back. A moment later the scientist's mouth was pressed against Spirit's, the death scythe moaning a bit as Stein let his own hands wander.

The sudden sensation of a wavelength approaching them caused Stein to jerk away from Spirit and sit upright on the bed.

"Stein?" Spirit's breath was coming fast and Stein just shook his head, looking at the door. A second later Nygus stepped into the room and Spirit hastily pulled the blanket up and over his lap, thankful that the woman was looking down at some charts.

"Mira, is Senpai well enough to leave the dispensary?" Stein asked.

Nygus looked up at the pair of them and couldn't hide her half-smile. Both men's faces were flushed, and Stein's hair was a bit more mussed than it should be.

"He should be fine to leave, though you may want to keep him under observation," she gave Spirit a sly wink and turned around to leave. The weapon blushed scarlet.

"You heard what she said, Senpai. You need to stay under observation. It seems that you should be coming to the lab then," Stein said with a smirk.

A few moments later the two were on their feet and walking towards the lab.

* * *

"I think that I'd be just as well off at-" Spirit's complaint was stifled in the middle as Stein's lips pushed against his, the scientist's body moving flush to Spirit's and pushing the man against the interior wall of the Lab.

"Mira said observation," Stein said after the kiss, "and I intend to make sure that you are properly observed."

Spirit slid to the side, but Stein's arms had him trapped and all he did was succeed at revealing his neck to the scientist. Stein took the opportunity to nip at the sensitive skin, grinding his hips into the red-head's.

"Stein," Spirit said his breath coming quickly, "we shouldn't."

Stein stopped, his forehead resting against Spirit's. "Why?"

"What if we're needed? Witch Auril could be planning something. Something could happen and Shini-" Stein's kiss interrupted the weapon's feeble reasons, the man leaning against him. A moment later Stein's hand was wrapped around Spirit's tie and he was tugging the man deeper into the lab.

"Stein…" The tone in Spirit's voice caused the scientist to hesitate outside the door to his room. "I'm… I'm not a surrogate for Marie, am I?"

A cold chill ripped through Stein's soul and he turned to face the weapon. Spirit's eyes were wide and questioning.

Actions speak louder than words.

A moment later Stein had Spirit in his arms, not to kiss him or let his hands roam over the other man's body, but to pull him into an awkward embrace.

Actions with words are louder still.

"Senpai… Spirit… losing Marie hurt me, but it made me realize how much I took both of you for granted. You are not a surrogate for her. You are someone I… love." The words tumbled out loosely from the scientist's mouth, and Spirit realized how hard it had to have been for someone who professed not to understand the concept to admit that.

A breath later Spirit was kissing Stein and the pair was moving into the bedroom. Spirit was breathless when Stein turned and pushed him onto the bed, a sadistic gleam in the other man's eyes.

"Allow me to show you the biggest difference between you and Marie." Stein smirked. Spirit tensed suddenly as a scalpel flashed into Stein's hand and towards Spirit's chest.

It ripped through the front of Spirit's shirt, exposing his chest. Stein's hand ghosted over almost completely faded scars and he leaned against the man, his weight pressing Spirit back and into the bed, his voice sending shivers down the weapon's spine. _"I never cut her open. I never_ _touched her like I did you. Like I will you."_

Stein's lips crashed against Spirit's as he draped the rest of his body across the weapon's. Instinct reigned again, and Stein let his body respond on its own, observing as it did. Watching Spirit's reactions. Lips met and mingled, Spirit's hand resting on Stein's hips as the scientist adjusted his weight to rub against the other man's hips.

Friction, Stein decided, was one of the greatest things a person could experience. Eventually though, friction needed to be more, Spirit's breath coming in gasps as he arched his hips desperately against Stein's.

"Death, Stein. You realize that to have sex we have to be naked, right?" Spirit panted out.

Stein hesitated for a moment, feeling his erection straining against his pants, Spirit's obvious arousal doing the same. A smirk crossed his face, stretching the stitches and he placed a hand on Spirit's chest as he pushed away from the death scythe.

"Stay." Stein left the room, and Spirit propped himself up on his elbows, confusion on his face. Stein returned a few moments later, holding a small bottle. The scientist smirked at the weapon before slipping off his lab coat quickly followed by his own shirt.

Spirit stared up at the stitched scars on Stein's chest, one hand reaching out to touch the largest, most visible one before looking down at his own chest. A thin line, almost completely healed now, matched it. Before the weapon could say anything though Stein's lips had captured his own and the scientist already had the weapon's pants unbuckled.

Spirit gasped as Stein exposed him to the air, the scientist's palm rubbing against the slick head before sliding down to grasp the shaft, slowly running up and down it while Spirit writhed underneath him, panting.

"Dry!" Spirit exclaimed suddenly and Stein smirked, grabbing the bottle he had previously brought with him and drizzling a bit of it onto Spirit. His hand slipped easier and Spirit was soon moaning as his hips arched almost painfully against Stein's hand; Spirit's own hands were curling into the bed sheets. The weapon almost cried out as Stein's ministrations stopped. With one swift movement Stein divested Spirit of the clothing that was in the way, and his own followed a moment later.

More of the surgical lube found its way to Stein's fingers, and a moment later Spirit tensed, realization hitting him. He was the bottom. Strangely, after everything, he found he didn't care. A second later tears formed in his eyes as Stein's finger slid into him, exploring him. Stein found what he was looking for a second later. Spirit arched his back and a strangled cry erupted from the man, making Stein almost growl at the sound.

He forced himself to go slow, sliding a second finger into the man and watching as Spirit squirmed underneath him, a sadistic grin growing on his face as he struck that sensitive bundle of nerves over and over. He waited until Spirit was trembling underneath him before withdrawing his fingers and, with only a slight hesitation slowly pushed into the other man.

There was a moment when everything stopped, and both men were panting. Spirit pushed himself up abruptly moaning at the change in angle and grabbed Stein's screw, forcing the man to lean in so he could kiss him. In the middle of the kiss Spirit twisted the screw. With a growl Stein pulled out and pushed back into Spirit.

Spirit's leg was propped up over Stein's hip, and Stein was supporting himself on his arms as he sat a torturously slow pace and purposefully avoided the bundle of nerves he had been hitting with such precision a moment before. Spirit writhed, panting, his hand clutching at Stein's shoulders as the younger man kept his pace.

The change was sudden and forced a half-scream from the weapon as Stein pulled away, his hands gripping Spirit's hips as he bucked suddenly into the man, hitting the nerve bundle dead on. The pace went from slow to hard in a second; Stein's free hand wrapping around Spirit's erection and running up and down the man's lubed length. The scientist smirked as Spirit's eyes rolled into the back of his head, the man arching his hips as he moaned.

He realized suddenly that he was reaching his own end, his body trembling. Spirit was mewling below him and he began to run his hand faster up and down, keeping time with his thrusts.

"Stein-" Spirit's voice was broken and filled with lust, and it almost pushed the scientist over the edge. He teetered for a tantalizing moment, squeezing as he stroked slightly, feeling Spirit tense. Spirit's hands clenched tightly around Stein's shoulders, clipped nails digging into the pale flesh, as the man arched his head back. "I-…I-…"

Every one of Stein's thrusts were deliberate, the man's aim perfect. Spirit screamed out Stein's name and sent the scientist over the edge as shuddering muscles clamped down around him, drawing a hoarse growl from the man as he released.

He slumped against Spirit then, both men breathing hard. He didn't care that they were both covered with Spirit's release. The weight of the last few days crashed down hard on them, and they fell asleep entangled together.


	12. Failsafes

Stein woke first, his hand tangled in Spirit's hair and his cheek leaning against the man's head. For a brief moment he forgot what had happened the night before, and the red splashed over his hand looked like blood. He jerked back suddenly, feeling the stickiness on his chest and nearly fell off the bed before memory kicked in.

Somehow, amazingly, Spirit slept through his thrashing. Stein slipped off the bed, padding silently into the bathroom to start the water running. He turned it all the way to hot, the steam filling the room as he shivered suddenly. Spirit's body heat had apparently been the only thing keeping his naked body warm underneath the thin blanket he had pulled up over the two of them before they had both fallen asleep.

He was soaping up when he sensed Spirit's wavelength suddenly shift, and realized that the man was coming awake. A moment later there was a pounding on the door that Stein had remembered to lock for the first time in years; he hadn't even locked it when Marie was alive and living with him.

"Damnit, Stein! Tell me there's another bathroom- preferably one with a shower!" Spirit's voice was loud enough to be heard even over the spray of water and Stein just smirked, not answering. The door knob rattled and he heard Spirit stalk off and away from the room.

' _How could he have lived here while we were partners and not remember where the bathrooms are?'_ Stein wondered as he reached outside the shower to light a cigarette before letting the water rinse the soap off his body as he smoked. He stepped out of the shower a while later and dried off, leaving the towel pooled on the floor.

He stepped out, nude, into his bedroom and stopped when he saw Spirit on the bed. The blankets were pulled up over the man's head, and Stein could tell he was asleep again. Stein stared for a long moment at Spirit's soul, a smirk stretching across his face as he realized that the icy prison was completely gone now. He twisted the screw in his head before yawning and stretching. They had gone through a rough week or so, surely they could indulge in some extra sleep.

He slipped into the bed beside Spirit, the other man's hair wet and tousled. Apparently he had found a bathroom and showered in less time than it had taken Stein. Damp arms wrapped around dry skin and he pulled the death scythe back against him, the man murmuring slightly in his sleep before they drifted back to sleep.

* * *

"Witch Auril, Shinigami-sama will see you." Auril's eyes flicked up as the door to hers cell opened, even though her eyes were missing. She couldn't see the person that was standing there, but she could tell that it was someone new, yet again.

She stood without complaint, though she couldn't have voiced one if even if she had wanted to. The gag covered her mouth completely and kept her from speaking at the same time her arms were tightly bound to her sides. The gag also did an adequate job of hiding the smirk that was growing on her face. They were taking her directly to Shinigami-sama himself.

She grinned as she walked behind them, her mind racing. The IA agent speaking jerked her back to the world though, and she forced herself to listen.

"Shinigami-sama is willing to see you, Witch, but know that it is not a simple social call. He is going to be deciding your fate." The man's words held malice and hatred, and Auril just grinned wider behind the gag that covered most of her lower face.

Her eyes, had she still had them, would have been twinkling.

She stumbled as they stepped into the Death Room. Someone grabbed her arm roughly and hauled her backwards, forcing her to stand upright while still propelling her forward.

A dark voice rang out, "Witch Auril, you have committed crimes against Shibusen. You have killed and injured members of this Academy. Remove her gag. What do you have to say for yourself?"

A grin stretched Auril's lips as they removed the gag, her voice a hoarse whisper, _"Hlysnan, Yuki-Onne ástandan léas Auril."_

Shinigami-sama's hand slammed into the witch, knocking her to her feet and causing her to skid across the floor. A moment later he was at her side, and the look on his mask made the IA agents slip back and away from the pair.

"That spell was your last, witch," he growled out.

" _It was all I needed,"_ she whispered out, a smile on her lips.

A moment later her glowing soul was floating in front of a pissed off reaper, the Internal Affairs agents standing nervously a dozen feet away. They watched as the reaper grabbed the soul and with a twist of his oversized hands, shredded it. The tattered remains drifted to the ground as he growled into his mask.

"Find out who Yuki-Onne is."

The Internal Affairs agents just nodded, wondering how they would pinpoint one person in such a large world.

* * *

Miles away where it was still night, a white haired, clear blue eyed woman woke from her sleep. A chill rushed through her pale, fragile body as she stood. A moment later she smashed every mirror in her home, Auril's words echoing through her head.

" _Listen, Yuki-Onne continue without Auril."_

The pale woman slipped on her white kimono, her hair pulled up into an elaborate bun. Her goddess may be dead, but she was tasked with continuing the task they had started. It was her last act for the woman who had spared her life. No emotion showed on her face as she looked in at the two young children in her care, though her hand trembled as she shut the door and left.

* * *

Spirit woke alone later that day. Stein had gotten up before he had or never came back to bed, but Spirit didn't immediately get up. He just shrugged deeper into the blankets, trying to ignore the rumbling in his stomach that was demanding food and the coiling lower down that was demanding that he release his bladder.

Finally with a sigh he staggered out of bed, yawning. He slipped into the bathroom and then got dressed, and wandered down to the kitchen. He found coffee already waiting and gratefully poured himself a cup. He almost spit it out when he realized that he didn't know how old it was or if Stein had added any little extras in it.

The thought sent him back to the bathroom where he checked himself for new scars. Stein chuckled from his lab as he felt the spikes in Spirit's wavelength.

A few minutes later found Spirit walking back into the lab, this time heading into the research section that Stein could normally be found in. He wasn't disappointed. The scientist sat at his computer, his legs crossed and a beaker of coffee slowly cooling beside him. He was engrossed in whatever he was reading and Spirit walked up behind him to look over his shoulder.

The file that was open was on the witch that they had captured. She was of the winter variety, one of the few witches that didn't have a patron animal, but rather revolved around an element. It was also noted that she had a bit of a following in Japan, among people that still clung to the old gods.

"It's interesting that they worship her, given that she isn't of the Japanese pantheon of gods." Stein said suddenly, looking over his shoulder at Spirit.

"They actually worshipped her?"

"Apparently she has a stable following. Even a few weaker witches seem to be referring to her as a goddess and following her." Stein turned back to his reading and Spirit stood for a while, reading over his shoulder.

Eventually Spirit's stomach rumbled again, reminding the death scythe of how hungry he was.

"Come on, Stein. Let's go get food, and then we'll check in with Shinigami-sama."

Stein nodded, pushing away from the computer. "You're right. Shinigami-sama may have more information on her for us, anyway. We need to make sure that she didn't have any failsafes for her capture."

The pair walked out into the light, neither of them noticing the sudden chill in the air.


End file.
